Andrey Arshavin has been a key player for Russia as they have scored five goals in two games at Euro 2012. Photograph: East News/Rex Features

We are almost halfway through the group stage at Euro 2012 and the football on display has been hugely encouraging. OK, the opening game between Poland and Greece did not have a cracking goal like the opening games of the 2006 World Cup (Philipp Lahm) or the 2010 World Cup (Siphiwe Tshabalala) but the football on offer was a lot better than the first game of Euro 2008 (the Czech Republic beating co-hosts Switzerland 1-0).

And at the end of that first night in Poland we had been treated to seven goals and a swashbuckling performance by Dick Advocaat's Russia. There had also been two red cards (although Sokratis Papastathopoulos should never have been sent off) and a missed penalty.

The first two games from Group B were not spectacular - and only two goals were scored in the 180 minutes – but the quality of football was extremely high. Germany's midfield is an absolute joy to watch with Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Müller providing their own brand of tika-taka, the Deutschland way.

And even though Denmark mainly tried to contain the Dutch, they were not negative in the same way Chelsea were against Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Morten Olsen played 4-3-3 with Dennis Rommedahl and Michael Krohn-Dehli putting pressure on Holland's full-backs and the whole team attacking when they had possession.

Italy v Spain, again, did not provide the goals the quality of the football deserved but no one can accuse Cesare Prandelli of playing negative football. The game had intriguing sub-plots (Spain without a striker, Italy playing with Daniele De Rossi in defence) and was surprisingly open, despite the slow pitch. Croatia, meanwhile, bamboozled Ireland with their expansive brand of football, Luka Modric running the show in the middle and full-backs Darijo Srna and Ivan Strinic more than happy to push forward.

All this tournament needs now is a defining match, an encounter that will be remembered for years to come. It needs Germany to beat Holland 4-3 or France to beat Spain 5-1 in the quarter-finals. Or will it be Roy Hodgson's men eliminating Italy in the last eight, having won 4-3 after extra-time?

Probably not, but the beauty of a tournament at this stage is that anything is still possible.